First check to see whether you are physically comfortable - bed, clothing, bladder, temperature, sound, light, etc.

Yoga breathing or pranayama can be helpful. There are several types to try out so check the internet.

The 40mph wind gusts woke me up at 12:30am. I gave up/got up at 1am. The two feral cats were happy to get pre-breakfast treats. The dog is now snoozing away next to me.

Both DH and I somehow got turned around and go to bed early. We either read, watch a show on iPad (DH) or IG/ND catching up (me). I am usually asleep by 7pm, he by 8pm. I am good after 6hrs of sleep.

Yesterday I took a 2hr early afternoon nap on the sofa while DH swam. But I had no trouble going to sleep. My problem is once I wake up, it is pretty much over. Empty bladder, then toss and turn for awhile. Now and then I will look at IG for maybe an hour, depends on the time. If that doesn't make my eyes tired, I give up.

Do you have a sound machine or small fan for white noise? I used a sound machine, DH likes a fan. It is on top of an armoire and on a timer. Mostly in the winter, or if I am not feeling well, I will heat a neck wrap in the microwave for my neck. That seems to help me relax.

Several years ago I read something that helped. You start thinking about, and visualizing if you can, getting out of bed and getting ready to go somewhere, and by the time you walk out the front door, you are asleep.

Another version that works for me is to visualize going through previous homes. Could be where we lived when I was born, to the house I grew up in or raised our children in, to more recent homes.

Hopefully, this long post has made you fall asleep from boredom!

Read. At some point I realized when I had these 'episodes' I rarely feel tired during the day. Sometimes maybe we don't need the sleep. Laying their getting annoyed is absolutely not sleep inducing.

Don't ask me....I didn't even head to bed until 1 am because I didn't feel tired...and me too, no caffeine and I've essentially cut out alcohol except on special occasions.

Sometimes I'm helped if instead of telling myself to go to sleep, I say, I'm going to relax now. The reverse psychology of telling yourself to sleep can make sure you don't. I can get into this weird headspace where part of my brain stays awake to see if I'm asleep yet, and you can't sleep if you're brain is awake.

I have tried so many different things and techniques and so far none of them work consistently for me. Some may work for a night or two.

Part of my issue is, I'm still having hot flashes, and they tend to come as I start to relax, be it for sleep or meditation. Most annoying. And they also ensure I rarely get more than 4-5 hours of sleep at one time as they wake me up. I'm most fortunate if I can get to sleep after it wakes me up. Sometimes I can, but it's usually at least 90 min later before I can sleep again.

Someone here had mentioned magnesium glycinate for nighttime leg cramps, and it also helps me fall asleep sooner. But, there must be something in the night air because two nights ago I, too, could not fall asleep. Tried all my usual ”tricks”. I don’t know what finally did it, but I did fall asleep.

Waking in the middle of the night is different. If it is after 3, DH has usually gotten up, so I do stuff on the phone, NYT games, etc. And honestly, if I get up and go to the bathroom, I fall asleep after I get back into bed. But I just don’t want to get up!

I use Olli sleep gummies. And I take a magnesium supplement. I may wake up for the day at 4 am, but I don’t have trouble falling asleep.

I'm amazed by everyone who can type legibly in the middle of the night. I can barely type legibly when I am wide awake.

One of my kids's schools brought in a sleep specialist and kids could book one-on-ones. They took notes and this was their advice, which I use too.

To promote sleep:

1. 3mg Melatonin 90 min before bed
2. Stop screen time 30-60min before bed
3. Go to bed in a cool, dark room the same time each night
4. Avoid spending time in your bed when it is not for sleeping
5. Wake up the same time each morning
6. If these don't work, esp in winter use a lightbox in the am for 20 minutes upon waking to reset your biological clock

All they did is 1,2 and that worked.

This was the reccommended melatonin, below - they said a lot of OTC melatonin is of varying strength and quality.

I use the melatonin once in a while, like if I have an unusually early morning. I find it ideal

I also used to use guided meditation for sleep with Alexa.

https://www.thorne.com/products/dp/melaton-3-trade?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23086295444&gbraid=0AAAAADLUbJX-lIw-eKBCJTMC8TOOQVv3W&gclid=CjwKCAjwtvvPBhBuEiwAPMijr7V0HPMoYehm-UKPuhPHEQhbdVcLZtEJGhIAk3FDTotxgsZDVKnAiBoCywUQAvD_BwE

Magnesium glycinate has been working like a charm for me. Melatonin had no effect. My husband tried magnesium glycinate and it acted like a stimulant for him.

Melatonin is recommended only for occasional use, not chronic use

Yes, I probably take it once a month or so. The sleep specialist said to take it nightly until your schedule reset (10 days or so) and then only as needed.

I think of a category and go through the alphabet and think of words that fit the category. I've been doing this for a few years so I'm running out of categories now. It's gotten so bad that last night my category was "things that ail old people" (like me!) Arthritis, bunions, constipation....

I never get out of bed though. I just tough it out.

Well, good morning. I finally dozed off around 2:30 and woke up at 10 a.m. Kind of a late start to the day.

What helped me fall asleep was basically starting my bed routine over. I got up, brushed my teeth, emptied my bladder, straightened out the bed, then got back in like I was going to bed the first time. Pretty soon I was asleep.

This doesnt happen very oftenbut I may try the melotonin route. I also do mental exercises like Eileen. I try to remember what kid goes with what family on my street, orsomettimes its the neighborhood dogs names. Things like that . I guess its similar to counting sheep.

I wonder why sleep is so elusive at times and not a problem at all other times.

I never get out of bed though. I just tough it out.

I think they now say not to do that. When I cannot sleep, I try to treat it neutrally. Like "oh, I'm not tired." I get out of bed and do whatever I please, but I try to avoid screens because of blue light.

The only time I don't treat it neutrally is when I need to get up early for something, and then I take the melatonin. I don't book early morning flights and I only go into my office ~2 days a month so it is rare than I need to get up early.

I do as Eileen does, categories and go through the alphabet. Another is to try to remember the people in my department when I was working. Their names, spouse, kids. I left in 2002, so it's not like they're fresh in my mind.

I think this works because it focuses my brain, instead of whirling random thoughts.

I listen to sleep stories on the Calm app. That usually works. Sometimes, I use focused breathing. I always have the 3 a.m. nature call, but I can usually go right back to sleep. Glad you were finally able to fall asleep, @dedtired.

The things that work for me are the absolute opposite of good sleep patterns. I fall asleep with the lights and tv on, often scrolling and usually sleep through the night. I don’t use an alarm unless I have to be up before 6am and naturally wake up between 4:30 and 6am. It confounds DH and doctors.

When I do wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, I’ll take a couple of these

I learned self hypnosis years ago and still use the technique when my mind is running and I can't sleep.

The technique is pretty simple - You lay down with your feet about hip distant apart, lay your arms down at your sides with your hand a few inches from your body and your fingers slightly splayed, so they are not touching one another.

When you are comfortable, close your eyes and picture yourself in your own special, relaxing space. For me, I am lying on a large floating leaf with the sun shining down on me in a lush forest with a gentle waterfall releasing into my pond. . . there are birds and butterflys and all kinds of beautiful wildlife and flowers . . .

As you are laying there and find your space, start releasing the stress and energy from your body, Start with your toes - feel the stress flow from your feet and out of your toes, then move up a few inches at a time and let the stress flow down your legs and out of your toes, when I get a few inches above my waist I start letting the stress release from my fingers, working up from my wrists through my shoulders and chest then from my neck and my head until all the stress is gone and I am in my peaceful, beutiful place.

I often fall asleep before I am fully destressed. This also helps my Restless leg syndrome, which may be why I always start from my toes. I know others who start with their fingers.

When I first started this I played white noise / rainforest sounds in the background, but after time I no longer needed the white noise and can now use this technique to block out sounds that are keeping me awake.

Like 1929Spanish, what works for me, a single person, is contrary to sleep expert's advice. Whether I watch TV in bed at night or not, despite feeling very tired, I often find myself wide awake. I turn on the tv sound low, not quite loud enough to make out conversations - a kind of muffled background noise. I then cover up and close my eyes, and like magic, not long after I'm dozing. At some point I wake up enough to hit the nearby remote off. This works for waking up in the middle of the night for me as well. My theory is the sound keeps my mind focused trying to make out the conversation, instead of on my thoughts. I use a sleep machine at times, but if I end up wide awake, it doesn't help. Melatonin has no affect on me, but I do take Chelated Magnesium.

Glad you got some sleep ded but wow! I amazed so many have trouble sleeping! it is extremely rare that i have trouble sleeping. I dont follow mtn’s list either lol. i usually get close to 8 hours sleep most nights. I will say I almost never nap, don’t know if that helps or not 🤷‍♀️

I also find that having some background noise, like leaving the TV on, stops me from hearing other noises that can trigger dreams that someone is breaking into the house or is in the house.

Melatonin makes me dopey the whole next day so that's out.

I tried the magesium glycinate but had bad side effects too.

I'm glad dedtired was able to get a good rest after all that.

For me, I'm most often operating on 4-5 hours of sleep. If I get 6 or even 7, it's a miracle.

Anyone with recurring sleep difficulties (insomnia) should see a sleep doctor. Insomnia can include difficulty falling asleep, wakefulness in the middle of the night, and other issues.

As I understand it, there are dozens of approaches and treatments for the numerous types of sleep issues that have nothing whatsoever to do with apnea or using or not using a CPAP machine. See an expert, most sleep problems can be treated.

I've heard that long term use of melatonin is not a good idea unless doing so at the direction of and being monitored by a medical doctor. Poor sleep can be the cause of a number of serious medical problems that no one would want to hear about or could imagine could be related.

Melatonin gives me squirrelly dreams. The sort of dreams where you’d rather be dog tired and falling asleep at the table than have fall asleep and have that dream again.

I really like listening to sleep stories on the Calm app. Most of the sleep stories are 30 - 45 minutes long. Some stories are created just for Calm; some are adaptations the first chapter of famous books (Anne of Green Gables, The Great Gatsby, etc.) It is rare when I’m not asleep in the first 10 minutes or less.

My favorite reader is Alan Sklar. I find his voice very soothing. I heard him talking about his intitial interview. He said it was a total change from his usual way voice acting. He had to learn to not put so much oomph into his voice.

I seldom have an issue sleeping but when I do it's because I can't shut my brain off. So to break up my brain thoughts I name my kids by full name, date of birth, company they work for , job title and phone number, then the same for their spouses and then their kids (no cell numbers there) I'm usually asleep before I hit the spouses.

Similar to others here, I think of 10 related things that start with the same letter. For example, 10 Rolling Stones songs that start with the letter S. I’ll do other bands I love, hobbies, movies, etc.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Reading is usually my best bet.

“Hopefully, this long post has made you fall asleep from boredom!”

Allison, that made me laugh. :D

(Your post isn’t boring.)

I will have to look into the Calm app. There is also a podcast called Boring History for Sleep. The latest episode is the history of tetanus.

Oooh, Boring History. I’ll have to check that out.

Calm also has a section of Sleep Stories for kids. From time to time, my grandchildren use my Calm app. Their fav is Daddy Pig‘s Bedtime Story. He reads from the Wonderful World of Cement…or something like that. Listening to someone read about the characteristics of cement is deadly boring.

If you are interested in the Calm app, let me know. I’ll send you the code for a free 30 day trial. AFAIK, I get nothing for that.

DD & DSIL bought a year’s subscription for DGS’ kindergarten teachers. They turned it on at naptime. From what I’ve been told, worked like a charm to get a bunch of small boys to calm down.